


Howl

by Kaimu



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-05
Updated: 2013-02-05
Packaged: 2017-11-28 07:30:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/671866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaimu/pseuds/Kaimu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ianto has died, but he comes back in another life form. The form of a wolf. How will Jack react when he finds out? A story about a man and his wolf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Since I'm not religious, I'm using a lot of creative writing freedom. I do, kind of, believe in reincarnation. Don't flame me for it.

Waking up in his new body, even after 2weeks, still felt a bit weird. Although he was glad that Mother Nature had chosen to put his spirit into a rather large animal and not something as small as a goldfish or something.

Besides, what would Torchwood do with a goldfish? Maybe feed it to a weevil...that was a great possibility.

Yes, even in his new form, Ianto still considered himself as part of Torchwood. Even though the new recruits and Jack and Gwen didn't even know of his existence yet.

He had watched them from the shadows, ever since he had awakened in his new life form somewhere just outside of Cardiff. He had come back to watch over his friends, once he realized what had happened to him.

He had watched Jack standing on the roof of whatever building he could get to the top to almost too many times to count now.Wishing he could be there, standing next to him, helping him through his grieve. But he couldn't, not like this. Not yet at least.

He watched Gwen trying to recruit members. Andy was the first to join, wanting to see the spooky-do's now for himself. Martha was there, but only temporarily. She was already looking out for a new medic to join Torchwood 3. Then there was Lois, who had become friends with Gwen and wanted to help out too.

Gwen really did most of the work, Ianto had noticed, consulting Jack everytime but he apparently let her do whatever she wanted most of the time.

She seemed to be coping pretty well, although Ianto had seen her cry a few times, but maybe that was because of the pregnancy hormones.

Thinking about Gwen being pregnant made Ianto feel happy, but on the other hand it was a little sad too because now he couldn't hold the child in his arms like he had been looking forward to when he was still alive. When he was still human.

He had made himself a home in the old ruins of the Hub, not knowing where else to go. It had been his second home after all. It had taken him a while to dig out the hole through which he could crawl to get there, but it had been more than worth the while.

Through, the Hub was a complete mess, but he had found some pictures inside Toshiko's old desk and in Gwen's, to which he stared at daily to remind him of the good times. Not that he could ever forget any time or any thing they had ever done together, in Torchwood and out of work hours, but those pictures were fun to look at and kept him sane most of the time.

He had troubles adjusting to being a wolf in the beginning. Craving meat, running and hunting. It took some time to get used to. At least he still had his brain. He was still Ianto, just now trapped insidea wolf's body, forever. Until he died again.

Then it probably would all be over, because he doubted of being reincarnated a second time. And if that would happen, then what would he be?

Nah, he'd rather not die again. Just to be safe.

He knew he had to show himself one day though. And that day came sooner as expected.

 

~~++~~

"You take the left, I'll take the right." Gwen ordered, waiting for Andy's nod before moving in the direction she pointed herself to while Andy took the other.

Another weevil had escaped, they had lost count on how many they had caught that week alone already. Well, guess it was to blame on the almost constant rain in Cardiff.

Gwen hated this weather. Normally she wouldn't even be on an outside mission right now, out of concern of her own health and the baby's, but now that Lois was sick and Jack had gone to a meeting with UNIT, she didn't have much of a choice. Especially because Martha wasn't in that day either.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by a snarling sound behind her and quickly turned around to be almost face to face with the weevil.

"Oh, shit!" she stumbled backwards, almost falling over a broken stone on the road, "Andy! Get your ass over here!"

Gwen tried to pull her gun out of the holster, but the weevil was much faster and she had to duck for his flying fist. She wasn't that good in close combat fighting and it showed. The weevil had almost overpowered her, when something came flying against it from the side and tackled the creature to the ground.

Gwen quickly moved backwards, finally getting her gun out and pointed it towards the weevil on the ground, that was now being ripped apart by the other creature. The one that had saved her.

Grabbing her torch, she switched it on and pointed the light towards the two creatures, gasping when she saw it was a wolf.

When Andy had finally arrived and stood behind Gwen, the weevil was lying motionless on the ground and the wolf lifted his head; blinking into the light, blood dripping from his teeth.

They watched anxiously as the wolf licked his muzzle clean, still staring at them, Gwen's gun still pointed at him, Andy's gun now right beside hers.

The wolf whined softly, ducking his head, flattening his ears and lowering his back as well as his tail. His tongue was hanging loosely out of his mouth, more looking like a harmless dog now.

"I..." Gwen whispered softly, "I don't think he wants to hurt us."

"It's a wolf, Gwen."

"But look at him. Plus, he saved me. He's not going to harm me." She put her gun away and stepped tentatively towards the black wolf. "You aren't gonna hurt me, are you boy?"

Tail between his legs, the wolf began to move closer towards Gwen, trying to look not so intimidating. Once Gwen was in close enough position, she reached out her hand and the wolf nuzzled it gently with his nose. A smile broke out on Gwen's face and she stepped closer to pet the wolf and scratch him behind his ears. The wolf seemed to enjoy it, according to the noises he was making.

Andy lowered his gun as well and put it away before Gwen turned to look at him with a smug smile on her face.

"See. I told you he wasn't gonna hurt me."

Andy rolled his eyes, making his way towards to the weird duo, but still keeping his distance a bit.

Suddenly the wolf seemed to have enough from the petting and, as gently as he could, moved his head away from under Gwen's hand. He looked up at her, then jerked his head.

"I think he's asking us to follow him."

"Do you really think this is safe?"

Gwen sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes."Yes, Andy, I do think it's safe. He saved me, so I trust him." She turned back towards the wolf and smiled. "Lead the way, boy."

The wolf had to slow down his speed quite tremendously so the two humans could keep up with him. To both Gwen and Andy's surprise, their final place to stop was at the Hub, or what still remained of it, and saw the wolf disappear underground.

"What is he doing?" Gwen asked.

"I have no bloody clue."

They waited until the wolf came back up, waggling his tail a little as he walked up to the with two things in his mouth. He dropped the first thing in front of Gwen's feet, who bent down to pick it up.

A sad smile appeared on her face when she saw the picture of her,Rhys, Jack, Ianto, Owen and Tosh. One of the last pictures they had taken before Toshiko and Owen had died. It was a beautiful memory.

"Where did you find this, boy?" she asked, looking down at the wolf, then gasped when she saw the second item lying at her feet.

It was a tie. A red one. One she knew all too well.

The wolf started whining, nuzzling at the picture, then at the tie, trying to make Gwen put two and two together.

Gwen stared at the picture, then at the tie, the wolf and back at the picture. She crouched down and put the picture on the ground.

"What are you trying to tell me, boy?" she all but whispered, her breath catching in her throat when the wolf put one of his paws on the picture, right on Ianto's chest, then whined again, nosing at the tie and then looking straight into her eyes.

Normally, wolves eyes were usually yellow, but these wolf's eyes were blue. Eyes she remembered so well.

"Ianto?" she whispered, letting out a sob when the wolf jerked his head, looking like a nod. "Oh God! Ianto!" Gwen cried out and flung her arms around the wolf's neck, burying her face into the soft fur on his neck.

Andy stood back and watched. Not really getting what was happening.

Ianto, feeling all of Gwen's emotions run into him -pain,fear, relief, surprise, happiness, curiosity,..- and let his wolf instinct kick in.

Throwing his head back, he howled towards the sky.


	2. Chapter 2

"So, how did you become a wolf?" Gwen asked after releasing Ianto from her hug.

Ianto darted back a few steps and went up on his hind legs, making a show of falling backwards with his paws up in the air. Gwen couldn't help but chuckle and even Andy had to smile.

"Ok, so, you died as a human...and then?"

Ianto rolled over to his side and stayed like that for a while, then he stretched his back and his paws and stood up shakily, remembering how he felt the first time he awoke.

"You woke up- no, you were reborn as a wolf!"

Ianto gave a jerk of his head, tongue lolling out of his mouth and tail wagging slightly from side to side.

"That's so amazing!" Gwen exclaimed excitedly, "Oh, Ianto. You have no idea how glad I am to see you're still around, even if you're not human anymore."

Ianto strutted back to her, gave her hand a soft, tentative lick before looking back down at the picture, whining softly. When Gwen looked down, she saw Ianto's paw hovering above the face of their beloved Captain.

"You miss Jack, don't you?" Gwen asked quietly at Ianto's whine, Gwen scratched behind his ear with her hand. "He misses you too. He's out now to a meeting with UNIT, but we can go see him tomorrow." She stood back up and looked over at the remnants of the Hub, then down at Ianto again. "I suppose you've stayed here all this time...well, not tonight. Tonight you're coming home with me." Ianto's paw hovered now above Rhys and Gwen smiled. "Don't worry about him. He'll understand after I explain it to him."

She turned around to Andy, talked to him quickly, then said goodbye. Andy gave Ianto a nod and a brief salute before leaving the two alone. Gwen turned around and started walking, stopping when she noticed that Ianto wasn't following.

"Come on, love. Time to go home."

Home...

Ianto looked over at the ruins of the Hub, then back at Gwen, seeing her stick away the picture and the tie, he made up his mind and followed her.

~~++~~

"Ah' you're-" Rhys stopped walking towards Gwen abruptly, eyes wide, looking terrified. "There's a bloody wolf behind you, Gwen!"

"It's alright, Rhys." Gwen said calmly, "This is no ordinary wolf. It's Ianto."

Rhys blinked, "Is this some kind of joke?"

"No, Rhys." Gwen quickly hid the urge to roll her eyes. "Look into his eyes. This wolf really is Ianto Jones. He died and was reborn as a wolf."

Rhys frowned but did as his wife told him to do and looked down into the wolf's eyes. There was a flash of something...something remarkably familiar and he found himself talking to the animal.

"It really is you."

Gwen smiled as she saw Ianto sitting down, lifting up his right paw. She nudged Rhys to get him out of his daze and he stepped forward to shake the paw with his hand.

"Still as polite as ever."

Gwen still smiled as she made her way over to the kitchen. "Do we have something to eat for him?"

"I guess he might fancy a steak, don't you boy?" he added, looking towards Ianto, smiling when he saw the wolf's tongue come out of his mouth to lick his lips. "Steak it is, Gwen!"

"Do you think he'll eat it raw?"

"I guess so. Try it and you'll see."

Gwen crinkled her nose a little at the raw meat when she placed it on a plate and put it down on the ground, then she called Ianto over. Luckily it was already unfrozen, because she had thought to make the steak for her and Rhys.

Ianto sniffed at the food before devouring it like a hungry wild animal. Well, that's what he is now. An animal. Goodbye to his old table manners.

Gwen looked a little shocked at first, but then smiled, while Rhys just looked amused from where he was leaning against the doorway.

"Seems like he's enjoying it."

"Yes, he is." Gwen answered, looking into the fridge again to see what they could have for their own dinner. "I guess he's already used to raw meat from his hunts. What do you want to eat? You want the left over steak I pressume."

Rhys smiled and made his way ovver to her, turning her around so he could face her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Why shouldn't I be?"

"I can imagine the shock of surprise this must have caused you."

She closed her eyes and leaned into Rhys' hand when he cupped her cheek. When she opened her eyes again, they looked suspiciously wet in the corners.

"If this was a shock to me, then imagine what it will be like for Jack."

Hearing his former Captain's, and lover, name; Ianto's head snapped up and he looked at Gwen with sad, mournful eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ianto." Gwen said and went over to pet him on the head. "He's gonna be happy, though. I know he will."

Ducking his head, Ianto went out of the kitchen with his tail between his legs. Gwen wanted to go after him but Rhys stopped her.

"He'll be fine." He said soothingly."They'll both be fine. Jack is used to some weird things, isn't he?" Gwen nodded, because that was the truth and she couldn't deny it. Rhys smiled encouragingly. "Now how about you make us some dinner?"

With one last look towards the door Ianto just walked out of, Gwen sighed, turned towards the counter and started making dinner.

Everything would be fine the next day. If she willed herself to believe that hard enough, then maybe it would come true.

~~++~~

Gwen and Rhys had left Ianto alone for the rest of the evening and Gwen found him on the couch the next morning, still sleeping. She cringed a little inwardly as she thought about all the hairs she would have to remove, but quickly scolded herself for even daring to think that. That shouldn't be a problem. Ianto was her friend, of course he could sleep on the couch.

As if feeling that she was looking at him, and maybe he did, he raised his head to look at her and she smiled.

"Breakfast? I assume you don't drink coffee anymore, but I do have water and some sausages."

Ianto jumped off the couch, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he followed Gwen to the kitchen. He had to admit that he was pretty hungry, thirsty as well.

Gwen put a bowl of wate on the floor, then picked a pan and went over to the stove to bake some sausages and eggs for her and Rhys, some extra sausages for Ianto.

It had been awhile since she could actually cook them breakfast, but Jack had texted her late last night, or already morning to be exact, that he would handle it if their was any rift activity in the morning and that he would call her or Andy if it was too big for him to handle on his own.

When the sausages were done, Rhys had joined them and took the ones Gwen had put on a plate to Ianto and put it on the ground.

"Careful. They're still hot."

Ianto took a taste, then quickly spit it out and started drinking water like a mad man, well, mad wolf. Rhys laughed.

"I told you it was hot."

Ianto glared at him and actually growled a little. Rhys took a few steps back, holding up his hands and left him to it. He sat down at the table with his wife, who raised her eyebrow at him.

"Grumpy little thing in the morning, isn't he?"

"You shouldn't tease him like that."

"I didn't tease him. I just told him they were still hot. Hey!"

Gwen laughed as Ianto stole a sausage from Rhys' plate and ran with it to the living room. Leaving a scowling Rhys and a highly amused Gwen in his wake.

~~++~~

After breakfast, Gwen thought it was time to show Ianto their new working place. Their new Hub.

Gwen could tell Ianto was nervous at the way he was walking. Although she hadn't really much experience at studying how wolves walked, but she could simply tell with Ianto.

She led him through the entrance and to the main room, his eyes scanning the place eagerly. It looked a lot like the former Hub. He spotted the coffee machine and immediately went over there, a smiling Gwen trailing behind him.

"Lois or Andy make the coffee now." She told him, then looked down at him with a sad smile. "Their coffee isn't nearly as good as yours, but it'll have to do."

Ianto let out a breath and looked up at Gwen, jerking his head once. He hoped it would get his grattitude across. She scratched lightly behind his ears, showing that she understood.

Then they walked further, Gwen showing Ianto everyone's desks before going to the stairs that would lead them to Jack's office. There, she hesitated.

"Jack is probably checking the cells, because we don't know yet if they're secured enough. Just...Promise me you won't freak out, ok?"

Ianto just looked at her in confusion. Gwen sighed, squared her shoulders and walked up the stairs, motioning with her head for him to follow him.

Once they were up there, Ianto stopped still inside the doorway, taking everything in. He immediately noticed the pile of papers on one of the desks, so that was Jack's, but there was another one...

Gwen stepped up to the empty desk, stroking her hand over the wood.

"This is yours. Or was meant to be yours at least." She swallowed, trying to hold back the tears as she felt Ianto stare at her. "Jack...Jack said he wanted you here. Wanted you with him. That's why..." She went to the wall to open a curtain that Ianto hadn't spotted before. "That's why he made you this."

As the curtain opened, Ianto felt his heartbeat speed up dangerously. There on the wall was a drawing of his face, hanging like some sort of shrine behind the empty desk. His desk.

"He...he just wanted to remember." Gwen's voice broke and she dabbed at her eyes. "God, Ianto. You have no idea how broken he was. He wanted to leave. Wanted to travel through the universe again. But making this stopped him from doing so. This way he would still have you with him. Right where you were always supposed to be."

Ianto held back the urge to whine, walked up to his friend and rubbed his head against her leg a few times before jumping up on the chair that was supposed to be his. This got a smile out of Gwen, albeit watery.

"You really do belong here."

A loud shrilly noise cut off whatever she was going to say next, if there was something she could still say, and she ran back out of Jack's office and bolted down the stairs, leaving Ianto there alone. He didn't really care. This way he could take in Jack's office more thoroughly and stare at the picture behind him some more.

Turning his back to the door and getting lost in memories turned out to not be one of his brightest ideas. It caused him to stay less alert and not notice the new presence at the door.

His ears twitched, just a little bit too late, and he whirled around to stare into those painful familiar blue eyes and the black barrel of a gun.

"I have no idea how you came here, boy." The owner of the gun spoke, his casual smirk always in place. "But that is not your place to sit."

Ianto cursed inside himself. Of all the ways he had thought of being reunited with Jack; this certainly wasn't one of them.


	3. Chapter 3

The man and wolf stared each other down. The man willing the wolf to leave that chair. The wolf willing to make the man see who he really was.

The trance couldn't be broken. Not even when another set of feet came running up the stairs, or the gasp the person let out when she stopped inide the doorway.

"Jack! Stop!"

"How come there's a wolf inside the Hub, Gwen?" Jack asked, his eyes never leaving the wolf's. "And why is he in our office?"

 _'Our'_ , Ianto thought, _'he really does see this as a shared office. Oh, Jack...'_

"I let him in."

Jack's eyes glanced briefly over at Gwen before moving back quickly onto the wolf. "Now why would you do that?"

"Because this is not an ordinary wolf, Jack."

"Care to explain?"

"Look at him." Gwen said softly, carefully taking a few steps closer to her boss. "Look into his eyes. You'll see what I saw."

Jack grunted, but did as he was told. As he was looking into the, remarkably blue, eyes of the wolf there was a flash and a face appeared, just for a second. A face he knew all too well...

_Hey...It was good, yeah?_

_Yeah._

_Don't forget me._

_Never could._

_After a million years, you will forget me._

_I won't. I promise._

Jack felt his hand begin to shake. He held his revolver now with two hands, but still didn't seem to be able to hold it still.

"It...It can't be."

"But it is, Jack. It's-"

"NO!" Jack shouted and turned his gun towards Gwen, who quickly backed away with her hands up in front of her. "What kind of sick mindplay is this?" The Captain belowed. "This wolf can't be him!"

"Jack-"

"He died! He fucking died in my arms, Gwen! How can he- Ah!"

Ianto had enough. With one carefully thought out, perfect jump he jumped over the desk and landed with his front paws on Jack's shoulders, making him fall to the ground on his back and making him lose his gun. Ianto himself landed right on top of him, holding him down.

Jack struggled against the wolf's hold on him, but when he looked up, his breath got caught in his throat.

This situation was so familiar...Him,on the floor, pinned down under a body that way too soon pulled away. Back then it was in a warehouse and the body on top of him was human. Now it was in his office and the body on top of him was an animal's.

Yet, it felt so familiar...Those sad, blue eyes boring into his soul.

And then...it hit him.

"Yan?"

The wolf whined softly as it dipped his head and gave a soft lick on Jack's cheek.

"Oh..." Jack breathed, tears welling up in his eyes. "Oh God. Oh Ianto. It's you. It's really, really you..."

The wolf nuzzled into Jack's neck as the man's arms went up and clutched at his fur, pulling him down, pulling him closer, tears spilling out of his eyes for real now.

Gwen stared at the sight of her Captain completely falling apart, his head buried in the wolf's neck, his fingers digging into the animal's fur so hard that Gwen could imagine it would hurt Ianto just a little, but she also knew he probably didn't care.

Hearing sounds downstairs, probably Andy because she had called him about the Rift alert, made her snap out of her daze and she walked out of the office, looking back one more time before closing the door softly behind her.

A tear escaped from her eyes as she leaned with her back against the door. She quickly wiped it away and composed herself before running down into the main Hub to greet Andy and inform him about the Rift.

Inside the office, the men and wolf both held onto each other as best and as tight as they could.

Finally they were reunited.

~~++~~

When Jack walked down the stairs, a long time later, with Ianto at his side, Jack's hand on top of his head, Gwen couldn't help but smile. Even Andy's lips quirked up a little.

When Jack stopped at Gwen's desk, Ianto stopped too and sat down next to him. Jack smiled down at him and scratched behind his ears before looking back up at Gwen. His eyes were still a little bit puffy, she couldn't help but notice that.

"Thank you." Jack said softly, but sincere. "I don't know how you found him or how this is even possible but, thank you."

Gwen smiled and swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Actually," Andy piped up from the coffee station, "He found us. Saved Gwen from a weevil, he did."

Jack's eyes widened a little and he looked down at Ianto, then a smirk broke out over his face.

"That's my Ianto."

Gwen rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the smile on her face. "As for how this is possible...Ianto was reborn. This wolf is his incarnation form. He's still the same Ianto Jones, only now in a wolfish package."

Jack pondered about that for a second. "I see. Well, I'm glad to have him in any way, shape or form." Gwen and Ianto both rolled their eyes and Andy spluttered a bit in his coffee, when Jack winked, knowing perfectly well what he just said and how they would take it. "But I'll still miss his beautiful Welsh vowels."

Ianto huffed and rubbed his head up against Jack's leg, who sadly smiled down at him.

"Maybe," Gwen spoke up after a few minutes of silence, "We can make some kind of translator for wolf language? Some kind of special tech that can bring out Ianto's voice. I could ask Lois about it when she's back."

A real, hopeful smile broke out over Jack's face and he looked at Ianto, who's tail was wagging and his tongue was lolling out of his mouth.

"I would love that."

Gwen nodded, "We'll try everything we can."

Jack pulled her up into a hug, whispering a thank you once more into her ear, before moving back and smiling at her. Gwen noticed that one of Jack's hands had never left Ianto's head. Seems like he still couldn't keep his hands off of him, even like this. It somehow made her happy.

"Well then," Jack broke the silence, "If anyone needs me, I'll be up in my-" A look down at Ianto. A smile. "Our office. Just let me know when something happens that you need my help with."

Gwen and Andy both gave a nod, neither being surprised when the wolf followed their Captain up the stairs.

 _Even like this they are still like twins_ , Gwen thought to herself.

It was so good to have Ianto back, even if he was a wolf now, he would still be the only one who could keep Jack at least a little bit under control.

And now Gwen is finally 100% sure that Jack will stay on earth with them.

Because now he has a reason to stay.


End file.
